1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a purge device that includes an internal space defined by a chassis, and performs a purge process where an inside of a storage container arranged in the internal space is purged by using a purge gas such as an inert gas or clean dry air, and a method of diffusing the gas including the purge gas that leaks from the purge device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been known a purge device that maintains cleanliness by placing a storage container, in which a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate, or the like is accommodated, in an internal space defined by a chassis and introducing a purge gas into the storage container placed in this internal space (i.e., a so-called purge process). In such a purge device, countermeasures have been taken to prevent an operator from experiencing oxygen deficiency by ventilating the internal space of the purge device to maintain oxygen concentrations of the internal space at a predetermined value. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-326162 discloses a technique where blowing dry air at least ensures oxygen concentrations in a certain area of the internal space.
However, in order to increase the number of storage containers placed in the internal space and cope with the increasing size of articles subject to the purge process, the flow rate of the purge gas has been increased in recent years. The purge device is enlarged to attain oxygen concentrations with a predetermined value, resulting in its complex configuration.